“Let us hope for the best, sir,” said the scout quietly, as he bowed himself out of the officer’s tent.
Before dawn Buffalo Bill and a squad of men sent by Captain Keyes went to the ridge to hunt the live—or dead—body of the Mad Hunter. In an hour, and just before the column was ready to start, the squad returned without Cody.
“Where is the scout, sergeant?” asked Captain Keyes.
“He left us upon the ridge, sir,” said the man, saluting.
“Left you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And where did he go?”
“He struck a trail, sir, and said he would be off on it.”
“What sort of trail?”
“The Mad Hunter’s trail. We could not find the man, but Mr. Cody saw where he had walked away, and he started in pursuit.”